Professional travel agents have continued to solidify their position as the main distribution channel for cruise sales, cruise executives said during the State of the Industry panel at Cruise Shipping Miami on Tuesday.
CLIA CEO Christine Duffy, who moderated the panel, noted that since the Costa Concordia accident on Jan. 13, agents have fielded calls and answered safety-related questions from clients.
"What role will they play in the next three to five years, and beyond?" Duffy asked the panel.
Carnival Cruise Lines CEO Gerry Cahill said, "In the last couple of months, agents have demonstrated their value to the industry. They’ve been great advocates and it’s great to have a third party speaking on your behalf."
The retail community, he noted, has seen many changes in the last decade. Agents who were "order takers" went away, said Cahill.
"Our industry was founded on the back of agents, and I don’t see any way that will change. They will continue to be the main distribution channel," Cahill said, as other executives nodded in agreement.
Norwegian Cruise Line CEO Kevin Sheehan called agents the "lifeblood of the industry," and predicted they would remain so for many years.
Royal Caribbean International CEO Adam Goldstein said that travel agents are more sophisticated than they used to be.
"Those who have weathered the storms feel in common cause with us. They see themselves as investors in our industry," he said.
Celebrity Cruises CEO Dan Hanrahan also had supportive words for agents, saying, "Their passion for selling our products is second to none."
The Cruise Shipping Miami conference, which began March 12 and continues until March 15 at the Miami Beach Convention Center, is the first gathering of the industry since the Costa Concordia accident.
Opening remarks by Howard Frank, Carnival Corp.’s vice chairman and COO, included a heartfelt expression of condolences for the families of those who died as a result of the Concordia accident, as well as statements supporting Costa Cruises’ management and employees.
"The crew of Concordia are the true heroes of this tragedy, and as time unfolds some of these stories will be told," said Frank.
"Costa will come back stronger than ever before," he added.
The Italy-based line has reported booking decreases of up to 80% since the accident; in recent weeks, the decline has leveled off at about 40%.
Other executives participating in the State of the Industry panel were Holland America Line CEO Stein Kruse and MSC Cruises CEO Pierfrancesco Vago.
Follow Donna Tunney on Twitter @dttravelweekly.